WE HAVE TO START AN UNBEATEN AWAY RUN

We’ve got to be ruthless now, we’re creating plenty of chances and we have to start putting them to bed."

Owen Coyle

Wigan Athletic face their sixth away league game of the season on Sunday with a trip to the Valley to take on Charlton Athletic.

Manager Owen Coyle believes getting three points from fixtures like this will be crucial for the team’s progress and he wants to start seeing his team turning in similar performances to those they have produced at the DW Stadium.

Speaking at the club’s Christopher Park training ground Coyle said:

“It’s very much a matter of hitting the ground running after Thursday’s performance.

“A win at the Valley would set us up nicely for the next few games as we have four of our next five matches at home and there’s no doubt that there are points achievable in all of those games.

“We want to start a good run at Charlton, move up the league and with the games in hand that we’ve got over other teams it won’t be long until we’re elevating ourselves up the Championship.

“There’s no doubt it’ll be a tough game as it always is away in the Championship, but I believe we need to start an unbeaten run on the road as we have got at home.”

After Thursday night’s game in the Europa League, Coyle revealed that there are no new injury concerns, just a few bumps and bruises to tend to ahead of the weekend.

“We’re delighted that everyone came through the game okay, there’s the usual few bumps and bruises and that’s something we’ll tend to over the next few days before the game against Charlton Athletic.”

On Thursday’s impact towards the weekend Coyle added:

“We’re going into the game in good shape after a very good performance against a first class European opposition in the form of Rubin Kazan.

“We feel that we should have won the game, but as it is it could prove to be a very crucial result, particularly in getting ourselves ready for the league game.

“Being unbeaten in the Europa League is a great start in that competition, now we want to turn our attentions to the league and go to Charlton with the view to collect all three points.”

Impressed with his side’s defensive unity in the Europa League, the manager added that it’s something Latics will need to keep up.

“Rubin Kazan had very few opportunities at goal on Thursday and that’s been a theme of a lot of our games for our opposition.

“I’ve told the lads to remain as focussed as they’ve been.

“It’s easy to remain focussed under pressure, but I’ve told them to make sure that they’re alive and sharp when we’ve got the ball and when we’re dictating a game.

“We’ve got to be ruthless now, we’re creating plenty of chances and we have to start putting them to bed.”

Asking for a strong start from his players on Sunday the gaffer said:

“Our fighting spirit is something that’s been quite prominent this season, but let’s start getting in front in our games and then fight to push for the points, rather than trying to earn them back.

“We’ve still got our same ambition of promotion to the Premier League and at the same time we want to have a successful Europa League run and I think we’re more than capable of doing that.”

Ending on Charlton’s ability Coyle added:

“They’ve been in decent form in their last few games, they went to Blackburn Rovers and got themselves a 1-0 victory and they also drew a couple of games before that.

“Charlton’s a tough place to go, but it’s one we’re looking forward to and the boys are desperate to get out there and do well for Wigan Athletic and they’re the type of players that I want at the club.”